Tag: Adam Shaheen Jersey Stitched

When the Chicago Bears drafted tight end Adam Shaheen in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, he was a bit of an unknown, coming from a smaller school as walk-on.

He overpowered lesser competition, but questions remained on whether or not he could become a pass-catching weapon at the next level.

Two years later, those questions still remain for the former Ashland star, and now may be his best chance to show he’s a worthwhile investment for the long term.

With Trey Burton sidelined by sports hernia surgery, the door is open once again for Shaheen to earn more reps with the starting offense and begin the preseason as the starting tight end.

His rookie year, he led the team in receiving touchdowns (3) and formed chemistry with Mitchell Trubisky throughout the season. But he only caught a total of 12 total passes for 127 yards in 12 games.

The injury bug bit him in 2018 as he missed the first two months of the season with a sprained ankle and foot he suffered in the preseason. Upon returning, he averaged 20-30 snaps per game and caught five passes for 48 yards and one touchdown.

If healthy, he should make an effective compliment to Burton, as they both possess skills that differ from one another that would open up the offense for Trubisky even more. But Shaheen is left looking for answers as to why he cannot stay on the field.

According to Adam Jahns of The Athletic, Shaheen is turning to martial arts to better himself physically in hopes of furthering his development and staying healthy for an entire season.

“My injuries have not been normal,” Shaheen told Jahns. “They haven’t been like a pulled (hamstring) or an ACL or anything like that. It’s been some things that doctors haven’t seen in years.”

Shaheen and third-year tight end Ben Braunecker are the only players who have NFL experience at the position with Burton sidelined. Still, the best ability Shaheen can improve is his availability.